FARMERS have been dealt "a bitter blow" by failing to win an immediate boost in European cash.
A deal announced by the UK Government is a missed opportunity to help move more money north of the Border, the National Farmers Union (NFU) Scotland said. It follows negotiations on common agricultural policy subsidies.
The NFU and Scottish Government say that extra money should have been directed at Scotland but British ministers shared the money across the UK.
NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller said: "It is a bitter blow that we have not secured an immediate uplift in our budget allocation.
"There is enough within it that could deliver real, long-term benefits to Scottish farming if Scottish Government and Westminster can agree." He welcomed a second strand of the deal which aims to help the livestock sector of farming.
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said: "We are willing to offer the Scottish Government the opportunity to provide extra coupled payments of up to 10% in the vitally important livestock sector, rather than its allocated 8%."
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "I do not know how UK ministers will be able to look Scottish farmers in the eye after this outrageous decision that amounts to pocketing Scotland's farm payments."
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